Good health is dependent upon a number of factors, one of which is good nutrition. We city dwellers don’t always consider one particular requirement for quality food: good soil. The nutrients in food, in fact, are dependent upon it. Growing some food at home can be done, even in the city. Self reliance, independence…. … More City dweller, country skills: composting

A recent news article in The Guardian takes a hard look at how consumer products generate so much packaging that we can’t reduce the environmental impact of packaging by recycling alone. That article can be read here. In addition to our need to reduce product packaging, we consumers have gotten away from re-purposing the packaging that … More City dweller, country skills: re-purposing used packaging

I believe we should all know the skills needed to meet our daily needs if retail shopping disappeared – how to grow food, make our clothes, etc. – so I’ve been going about learning those skills. Not that retail stores are going away., just a “what if…” In a previous post, I wrote about learning … More City dweller, country skills: making homemade soap

I’ve grown tired of trying to find dresses I like in stores. It’s so hit-or-miss…..and time consuming. So, I’m using some left over quilting fabric to figure out several patterns for making my own. I’ve got my first dress pattern “mostly right.” Now, I just need to tweak it a bit (center the collar … More City dweller, country skills: learning to make my own dresses

Two problems consumers lament regarding plastic waste and environmental damage: Excessive plastic packaging Plastic waste ending up in the oceans where fish, birds, etc end up eating the plastic I’ve been brainstorming for a couple years about a way for individuals to creatively recycle and re-purpose plastic packaging when we’re done with it. I … More City Dweller, Country Skills: Re-purposing our individual plastic waste

My “city dweller learning and sharing country skills” experience is moving in multiple directions. Sewing is one of the skills I decided to learn as an adult. Sure, there are city dwellers who learn this skill growing up; I didn’t. Fortunately, I was given a hand-me-down sewing machine several years ago. My first efforts to … More City dweller, country skills: joy of crafting patchwork comforters

I nearly blew up my kitchen when I first tried to make soap from scratch. Not an auspicious beginning as a soap maker! I was determined then, however, not to be outwitted by SOAP. “Making soap can’t be that hard,” I reasoned. My foray into soap making unfolded as a city person’s “next step” in … More My experience as a soap maker – oh, my!